conte: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Literary, Specialized (Arts)
Quick answer
What does “conte” mean?
A short story or tale, especially one focusing on sophisticated, witty, or fantastic events, often with a moralistic or satirical edge.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A short story or tale, especially one focusing on sophisticated, witty, or fantastic events, often with a moralistic or satirical edge.
In ballet, a short narrative piece, often derived from a fairy tale or folk story, presented as part of a performance.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical and equally rare in both varieties. The term is a direct borrowing from French and retains its specialized, high-register status.
Connotations
Sophistication, literary or artistic refinement, European cultural influence.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general usage. Slightly more likely to be encountered in literary criticism, ballet programmes, or academic contexts than in everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “conte” in a Sentence
The author wrote a conte about [topic].The evening's programme included a ballet conte based on [story].He is a master of the conte.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “conte” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
American English
- Not applicable as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in literary studies and dance history to classify specific types of short, stylised narratives.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would likely be replaced by 'story' or 'tale'.
Technical
A formal term in ballet for a narrative ballet or the plot synopsis provided to the audience.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “conte”
- Mispronouncing it to rhyme with 'pony' (/koʊntiː/).
- Confusing it with 'conte' as an art term (a drawing medium using conte crayons).
- Using it in place of the common word 'story' in casual contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a rare, high-register word borrowed from French, used primarily in literary or ballet contexts.
It is pronounced as a single syllable: /kɒnt/ in British English and /kɑːnt/ in American English, rhyming with 'font'.
While both are short narratives, 'conte' often implies a specific tradition of sophisticated, witty, or fantastic tales, frequently with a moral or satirical point, and is a more precise literary term.
Yes, in ballet, it refers to a short narrative ballet or the story being danced. It is also a brand name for a type of artist's crayon (conte crayon), but this is a different, homographic term.
A short story or tale, especially one focusing on sophisticated, witty, or fantastic events, often with a moralistic or satirical edge.
Conte is usually formal, literary, specialized (arts) in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this word.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CONTE' as a 'CONcise TALE' – a short, crafted story.
Conceptual Metaphor
A STORY IS A PRECIOUS OBJECT (implying it is carefully crafted and polished).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'conte' MOST appropriately used?